Hey {{first_name|default:there}}, it’s Vadim 👋
What I’ve loved most about the start to the year so far has been catching up with founders, making new friends, and learning about their work.
Usually, we talk about their fundraising and ways that they can improve their odds of raising a round this year.
We talk about the types of investors they’re reaching out to (building off the recent Fundraising Intensive), family office priorities, macro trends, their deck, investor feedback so far...
But then, towards the end of the conversations, and almost as an afterthought, I found myself asking them one question:
"How many times have you told your story on platforms like LinkedIn in the past 3 months?"
Four out of five times, this was followed by an awkward silence.. And a knowing nod.
In a funny way, it made me feel like a physician asking patients how many glasses of wine they have after dinner, or their daily step count :)
Founders seem to know this is something they should do... but it just falls by the wayside.
Or they look down on it altogether.
Here's the thing: what gets treated as a "nice to have" - in 2026 - is actually the biggest unlock, and can become the foundation for your growth as an entrepreneur.
Whether that's raising funding, attracting customers and pharma partners, hiring great people... or building a personal brand you can take to new ventures for decades to come.
Today, I want to show you what I've learned from my own experience, what trends I'm seeing from other industries, and how to do this without posting AI slop, generic industry takes, or TikTok dances (unless, of course, inspiration strikes :)
Let's dive in.